Drive-ins, classic cars enhance Misquamicut summer fun

July 10, 2011

MISQUAMICUTâRhode Island is a great place to spend the summer. The weather is wonderful, the beaches are beautiful and there is always something happening. However, it may be difficult to find something exciting to do that wonât leave you penniless.

The Misquamicut Business Association (MBA) is trying to change that. The group of beach-front businesses, which has been around since 2000 and includes about 180 members, is trying to hold all types of different events in Misquamicut as many nights as they can, events that are both affordable and fun for a wide array of people, according to the associationâs executive director Caswell Cooke.

âOur mission is to do events on the beach, Cooke said. we have things like concerts, magic shows, classic car nights and now drive-in movies.â
The first Misquamicut drive-in movie night will be held Thursday, July 7 at 9 p.m., at Wuskenau Town Beach, 318 Atlantic Ave. They will continue every Thursday night at the same time until August 25. Movies will be shown on a 16x25 foot screen. Movie goers can tune to 1620 AM on their car radio to pick up the audio for the films.

âWeâre going to kick if off with Jaws,â Cooke said. âThe Board of Directors decide on which movies to show but I gave them a few suggestions, so they are some of my favorite movies,â he continued with a laugh. Cooke stressed that the plan was to do something retro.

He introduced the idea to the MBA Board of Directors and the Chamber of Commerce and they all loved it. He also said that they wanted it to be for a retro price,so one car full of people costs only $8 to see the movies. It is not uncommon to pay more than that for a single ticket at an indoor movie theater.

âWe have all seen Jaws before,â Cooke said. âBut whoâs seen Jaws at a drive-in on the beach?â